Some viruses consist only of a protein coat surrounding a nucleic acid core.If you wanted to radioactively label the nucleic acids separately from the protein,you would use _____.
A)radioactive sulfur
B)radioactive carbon
C)radioactive nitrogen
D)radioactive phosphorus

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Radioactive phosphorus would be the best choice for labeling nucleic acids because phosphorus is a key component of the backbone of DNA and RNA molecules. Radioactive sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen are less commonly found in nucleic acids and are more commonly found in amino acids and other biomolecules.

Some Viruses Consist Only of a Protein Coat Surrounding a Nucleic